


glitter pieces

by vagarius



Category: Free!
Genre: Christmas Shopping, M/M, MakoHaru Festival 2016, Merry Christmas, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-11
Updated: 2016-12-25
Packaged: 2018-09-07 22:49:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8819206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vagarius/pseuds/vagarius
Summary: He's honestly not sure why choosing a gift for him is so difficult.





	1. Christmas Shopping

**Author's Note:**

> *flexes makoharu muscles* what even is this
> 
> [makoharu festival post link to be added]

"Do you think Ren would like this?"

Haru nods, eyes still scanning the shelf in front of him. He's sure that whatever Makoto has picked out for Ren is perfectly fine, and Ren will love it, but he also knows that Makoto isn't done speaking, and there's no point in answering when Makoto will end up reasoning through it himself, regardless of what Haru says.

"Ah, but – " _There it is._ " – if I buy it for Ren, then Ran will want one too. And I already got Ran one of those stuffed animals she likes."

Haru glances over. Makoto's expression is thoughtful, and a bit sad, but his eyes are certain, because even if Makoto doesn't know it, he's already made up his mind. "I'll get one for them both, I guess. And I can just get Ren one of those stuffed animals. I hope I have enough money..."

"I'll pay for one," Haru says, and walks away from the shelf. Makoto starts and jogs to catch up, protest more than likely on his lips, but Haru silences him before he can speak. "I don't mind. The twins love getting gifts from you." And because Makoto still doesn't look convinced, he adds, "I want to."

Makoto smiles, a little wryly. "They love getting gifts from you too, Haru."

"I know." He already bought the twins gifts, though. He bought Ran a small whiteboard, along with some dry erase markers, and a sketchpad and some pencils for Ren. They've both taken to drawing on everything, recently, so Haru figured he'd make it a bit simpler, for both the twins and their parents. It's a lot easier to encourage artistic skills when their canvas isn't the wall, after all.

Makoto sighs like he knows this, and turns toward another shelf.

Haru tries to stay close, but he knows he'll have to ditch Makoto at some point, if he actually wants to get any shopping done. He's already gotten gifts for everyone _except_ Makoto (everyone being Rin, Nagisa, and Rei), and he really needs to get to it.

He's honestly not sure why choosing a gift for him is so difficult.

Maybe it's because none of the gifts he thinks of really feel _right._ He's thought about buying sweaters, gloves, and hats; key chains, cases, and charms. He even thought about swimwear, but quickly dismissed the idea; Makoto probably wouldn't appreciate it quite as much as, say, Haru might.

Haru continues to scan the shelves.

Makoto goes through a few more gift-tirades, sometimes while clutching his head in decision, before Haru even comes across something he likes.

He finds a medium-sized snow globe, the glare of the lights shining off of it. After making sure Makoto's busy contemplating two identical picture frames, he picks up the snow globe and gives it a small shake. The glitter pieces fly around for a few moments, before settling back at the bottom of the snow globe.

Inside the snow globe are two sleeping cats, one on a rug and one on a rocking chair. The chair sways slightly along with a few stray pieces of glitter. _Cute,_ Haru thinks, only partly to his horror, because now he's thinking about Makoto being the sleepy cat on the chair, and isn't that a thought.

Now that he's looking at it, the scene does kind of remind him of the two of them. The black cat on the rug is curled up rather tightly, almost like he's scrunching his nose at the cold, and the olive-colored cat on the chair looks content, like he's purring at a dream he's having.

It's perfect.

"Makoto," Haru says, lamely hiding the snow globe behind his back. Unsure of what exactly to say, he tells Makoto the simplest thing: the truth. "I'm buying something. Don't wait up."

"I'm almost done, Haru. We can go pay together."

"No," Haru replies, a bit too quickly.

Makoto blinks. "Okay. I guess I'll be here, then."

Haru nods, and awkwardly walks backwards until he's out of sight of Makoto. Then he turns, and continues to stare at the snow globe. He shakes it one more time for good measure.

"Would you like this wrapped?" the cashier asks him, and Haru belatedly shakes his head. "Have a nice day."

Haru nods, and weaves his way back toward the center of the store, where Makoto is still contemplating the same two picture frames. He waits for Makoto to place one down before alerting him of his presence.

"Haru," Makoto says, for no discernable reason, and smiles.

Haru imagines the olive-colored cat.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> somehow this is even shorter than the last chapter, but I also wrote it, like, _now,_ so. happy holidays!!

_I can't do this,_ Haru thinks, and then rings the doorbell anyway.

The sound of footsteps briefly distracts him. He smiles at the small shout of _Ren!_ he hears, and the short bout of laughter that follows it. A grinning Ren promptly slides the door open, Ran not far behind him. " _I_ wanted to open the door," Ran whines, crossing her arms.

Ren looks like he's about to retort, but Makoto steps up before he can. " _Neither_ of you should be opening the door," he says, placing a hand on each of their shoulders. "What if it's someone you don't know?"

"But it's not," Ren points out, "It's Haru-chan."

Makoto opens his mouth. Pauses. Blinks a few times. Sighs. "Just go back to the other room, would you? And get one of us to open the door next time."

"Okay!" The twins chirp, darting further into the house, and laughing as they bump into each other along the way. Makoto watches them go, exasperated, but smiles all the same.

He turns his gaze to Haru, and his expression shifts to something softer, fonder. Haru might be sweating under his coat and scarf.

"I got," Haru starts, eloquently, "I got you a gift." He holds the bag out lamely, and looks off to the side, where he doesn't have to see Makoto's face.

Makoto's hands brush his as he takes the gift. His fingers are warm on Haru's, even past the thick of Haru's gloves. "I thought we were exchanging gifts with everyone later?"

"We are. But I wanted..." Haru, belatedly, pulls his hands back down to his sides. "Makoto gets his gift now."

Makoto smiles again, instead of answering, and opens the gift right there in the doorway. He pulls the snow globe out from the tissue paper, holds it, and says nothing. And Haru is suddenly unsure, now, because the gift feeling right to him doesn't mean it feels right to Makoto, even if Haru wishes it did.

In the time it takes for Makoto to speak, Haru runs through every expletive he knows, and pretends he isn't freaking out on the inside. Then Makoto gives the snow globe a shake, and giggles softly, as he watches the glitter swirl up and over and around. Haru relaxes. "I got you one, too," Makoto says, then before Haru can really register it, he rushes up the stairs, snow globe still in hand.

He comes downstairs with his own gift bag, label swinging with each step. Haru pulls off his gloves and stuffs them in his pocket before taking the gift from Makoto, hands brushing once more. He pushes aside the tissue paper, and sees the telltale glass of a snow globe.

It's the same two cats, again, this time playing with a ball of yarn on the rug, the rocking chair completely abandoned. The olive cat looks excited, and the black cat fond – if cats could look excited and fond – and Haru is once again reminded of Makoto and himself. He wonders who thought of the design.

"Do you like it?" Makoto asks, tentatively. He looks hopeful, and vaguely worried, as if Haru could dislike a gift that Makoto gave him.

"Of course," Haru says, anyway, then comments, "They're cute."

"I know, right? The little black cat is especially adorable."

Makoto continues to ramble about the cats as he walks further into the house, and shakes the snow globe once more. They'll have to leave soon, Haru knows, to meet up with the rest of their friends, but for now, Haru follows, and wonders what either of them were worried about in the first place.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> also a [makoharu festival entry](http://theofficialmakoharufestival.tumblr.com/post/155176657885/username-vagarius-title-glitter-pieces-part-2)
> 
> please reblog if you can!! and make sure to check out the [other works too](http://theofficialmakoharufestival.tumblr.com/)!!!


End file.
